France is again listed in the Top 50 of the Times Higher Education ranking

All audiences

The University of PSL (Paris Sciences and Letters) entered the Top 50 of the world's best universities by the Times Higher Education.

The ranking season is in full swing. After the Shanghai ranking, the Times Higher Education (THE) made public its ranking of the world's best universities.

France present among the 50 best again

Since 2011, no French institution had managed a rank among the best 50 in the ranking published by British monthly magazine Times Higher Education (THE). Since 2004, the THE ranking uses criteria such as the quality of teaching, research, and international development of institutions.

The university of PSL changed the game and reached the 41st rank of the global ranking. Since 2010, PSL includes nine institutions and climbed 31 ranks in one year, and became the first French university to be ranked.

A merger effect?

The Times Higher Education did not hesitate to write: "The French program of university mergers is paying off by increasing the research performance and international visibility". The THE mentions Sorbonne Université as an example of successful institution: "Sorbonne Université, created after the merger of Pierre and Marie Curie University and the University of Paris Sorbonne, joined reached the 73th rank, which makes it the best ranked newcomer".

Other French institutions are present in the Top 200 of the ranking: Ecole Polytechnique (108th rank) University Paris-Diderot (194th rank).

At 200th and 250th rank is Ecole des Ponts ParisTech, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon and Université Paris-Sud. At 300th and 350th rank are Aix-Marseille University, Federal University of Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées, University of Grenoble Alpes, University of Montpellier and University of Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines.